Melbourne Stars beat Perth Scorchers to keep unbeaten record

Sports writer for The Age

John Hastings of the Stars (centre) congratulates Luke Wright after he took a catch to dismiss Mitchell Marsh of the Scorchers. Photo: Getty Images

Their biggest names were missing but the ruthlessness remained as Melbourne Stars prepared for their Big Bash League finals campaign with a record-equalling eighth consecutive victory.

The latest casualty of the Stars' faultless season was fellow finalist Perth, with the Stars' comfortable 20-run win at the MCG on Monday ending the Scorchers' hopes of again hosting finals.

With captain Cameron White among the seven players out of the Stars squad due to national-team duty, Brad Hodge filled the void both for run-scoring and captaincy, with his 61 from 43 balls easily the biggest score of the day.

Captain's knock: Brad Hodge. Photo: Getty Images

The home team's total of 6-161 only looked under threat when veterans Adam Voges (29 off 29) and Simon Katich (30 off 23) produced a brisk half-century partnership for the Scorchers' fourth wicket. That partnership was fittingly broken by John Hastings, who snared 3-20 and is close to the most accurate paceman of the season.

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Hastings said the Stars' ability to win, despite being so depleted that it could not field a 12th man, emphasised they were not reliant on their absent ''superstars''.

''That was probably the most important win we could have all season. For our young guys, if something does happen to our older guys coming into the semi, then you know they can step up and do exactly the same job,'' Hastings said. ''We didn't know if we were going to have a team; we didn't know if [Mohammad] Hafeez was coming; there was a lot up in the air leading into this game the way the boys just brushed it all aside, came out and played like that [warranted a] tip of the cap, I reckon. Very good.''

Hodge was required to play the anchor role for the Stars after Luke Wright (13), new Pakistani import Hafeez (four) and David Hussey (six) departed within the first eight overs. The veteran was not at his best but was still able to punish paceman Pat Cummins for a lack of accuracy, crunching three boundaries off his first over.

Perth was in a strong position to restrict the Stars after Hodge and Marcus Stoinis (25 off 19), who produced a half-century stand from just 30 balls, departed in consecutive overs to leave the host at 5-114.

The Stars were again indebted to lower-order cameos, this time from not-out batsmen Peter Handscomb (25 off 17) and Hastings (13 off 13).

The visitors started their innings in a similar fashion, losing three wickets within eight overs before a fightback inspired by captain Katich.

He and Voges took the score from 3-38 to 4-92 when Hodge's decision to recall Hastings to the attack was immediately rewarded with the scalp of Voges, and then by Ashton Turner (one).

The Stars will be close to full strength when they host Hobart on February 4 in a semi-final that will also determine which team qualifies for the lucrative Champions League.

The next night, Sydney Sixers - the major beneficiary of the Stars' win on Monday - will host Perth at the SCG.